Car door and locking means therefor



Nov. 8, 1932. A. CAMPBELL 1,886,788

CAR DOOR AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFQR File n- 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5 4 FIG]. (\y Y v ARGYLE CAMPBELL Nov. 8, 1932. A. CAMPBELL 1,886,738

CAR DOOR AND LOCKING MEANS THEREFOR Fil e Jan. 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ARGYLE CAMPBELL.

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 oAMrB-a OF onroaeo, rnrimors, ,AssIonoR :ro ENTERPRISE aArLwAY ,nonrrnnnmoonreny, or onzoaeo, rumors, a oonronlinrontoe rumors V oannoon. AND LOCKING MEANS 'rnnn nroia Application filed January 25,1925; Seria1'3Io. 83;470.

' .1 invention relates toimprovements in .cardoors and locking means therefor.

Qne ob ect of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive dumping door having automatic door locking. means whereby adoor inay .be slammed .toclosed position and automatically locked at each end thereof. Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby one end of a door structure will positivelybe engaged by door lockingmeans in advance of the-opposite endo'f the door. J Itisalso-anobject'of the invention to provide a preliminary locking means to hold the door in a partlyeclosed' position and to so adapt the pad-ts that the door may be wedged to a full-yclosed position bymovement ofthe door locking meansu Other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly and fully appear from thedescription and'claims hereinafter follow- 111g. s 1

I i-the drawings forming a part of this spec,- ification, Fig; '1 is a vertical sectional View of a portion of theiso-called W-type hopper car, taken transversely ofthe car,.and showing in ifrontielevation my improved construction in connection therewith. Fig. .2 is a fragmentary side'elevational View of that portion-of the car shown inF ig. 1, illustrat- :ing my invention in connection therewith. Fig. :3 ea fragmentary yiewof the lower .portion of the :door as viewed on a line corresponding substantially to the line '83 of Fig. 12. jTig. a isa transverse sectional :View taken through the dooron a linecorresponding substantially to theli-ne 44 of Fig. 1. is-a fragmentary View ofa portion. of 'the 103:1, showing the inner end wall of :the hoppeflwith the door in closed :positionand the locking means in engaged-position, said View being taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1. 'isa yiewsimilar to Fig. 5-eXcept that the doorfis shown in a partially opened position, and Fig. =7- is asectional View taken through the doorand hopperside wall, substantially on the'li-ne 7'7=of Fig. 2. r

In said drawings 10 denotes one of the wertioalrside walls'of'the car, 11 a longitudinally extendingzreintorcingangle' l or the side wall-of the car, 12 one'of thechannel members usuallyempoyed to make ,up .a girderoentensill-of well known form, and 18 =of thevcenter sillc-over plate. a I

As c-u-stomary in this typeof car .having multiple hoppers, the car is divided byirans versely extending ridges, one of whichas indicated by sheddingpla'tes .14 and 15.. .Thehoppersa-re u-sualjly'arranged-in pairs transversely-ofthecar, an d sincethe-constructionofall thehoppersections -is:similar,-only one oi the same will behereinafter described in detail.

Each hopper "is-defined by a slopinggbottom hopper sheet 16,.a vertical inside hopper sheet 1'Zdisposed adj acent thecenterisill, and an outer side hopper-sheet 18,.whiclr slopes inwardlytoward the ,longitudinalcenter line of-theicar. v The lower margins of thesloping bottom hopper .sheet 16 are reliniorced .by an angle iron -men1ber'19 which extends {along the free edge-of thesheet 16. The flange of the, angle iron .memberli) is bent and connection effected with flanges :20 of iron members .21 as indicated -at2-10,-said members 21-421 act as reinforcing-"members lior'th-e side hopper sheets, due toith e rigidity ,imparted by the outstanding flange22.

Each of the discharge openings provided by-the {hopper arrangement is adapted to .be closed by asheet metal door indicatedat 2.3, which is preferably flanged adjacent 'its hinged end as indicated .at 24 .and .at its .respective side edges as indicated at.25.25and also adjacent its freeedge as indicated at26, saidflan-ges '25 25- and26 all extending from the inner sidenof the door and together pro viding a pan shapedmemberadapted to enclose the hop perstructnre as .definedby slopinglbottomhopper sheet 16, inner hopper sheet .17, and outer hopper. sheet 18, the rein forcing angles 20'2-0 being spacedrfrom the edges of theirrespective hopper sheets .a sulfioient distance to clear the said flanges .25. The door 23 is pivotally attached to the hopper stnncture by means of suitable hinges 27 pivoted on brackets .127 secured to the lower portion of plate :15 of ithe rtransverse out hereinafter.

adjacent its free edge, and rigidifying corrugations 29 are pressed in the door plate to extend preferably in a direction at right angles to the beam 28 and extended to intersect the same, the crests of the corrugations lying on the inner side of the door on the side opposite to the beam 28' The corrugations 29 are spaced from each other only a sufficient distance apart to permit the application of rivets or securing means as indicated at 30 for the attachment of such parts as the hinges 27, and reinforcing beam 28.

Adjacent the lower portions of the discharge opening, I provide shouldered bracket members designated generally by reference characters A and B, with which a pivoted oscillatable beam or bar C is adapted to cooperate to lock the door in a closed position in a manner which will be more fully pointed The bar C is adapted to be pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a pivot 31 carried by a bracket 32 which is fixedly mounted on the door between corrugations. The bracket 32 is preferably formed with a base portion 33, and inner and outer Walls formed integrally therewith as indicated at 34 and 35 respectively. The inner wall 34is spaced outwardly'from the main body of the door plate sutficiently to permit the head 131 of pivot 31 to lie between the door plate and said inner wall 34. The bracket 32'is preferably so disposed on the door as to provide for one end of the bar C to be of greater length than the other, said longer side indicated at 36, being preferably the outer end or operating end of the bar which is adjacent the side wall of the car, and the shorter or inner end of the bar inclicated at 37 being adjacent the inner hopper wall of the car. The variation in the length of the arms insures the bar automatically gravitating toward a normal locked position and provides for automatic locking action of the door as it is moved to closed position in a manner as will hereinafter be explained.

To lock the door in fully closed position, the respective arms of the oscillatable lever C which are extended beyond the adjacent sides of the door and cross the side wall of the car, seat behind shoulders 38 and 39 respectively formed 'on the members A and B, the lever being displaced from its normal position duringthe door closing operation by the short arm 37 riding upon an angularly disposed surface 40 formed integrally with the bracket A. Intermediate the surface 40 and the main locking shoulder 38, there is formed, preferably integrally with the memher A, an additional ledge '41 which is disposed slightly to the rear of should-er 38 so that as the short arm .37, after displacement by contact with surface 40, commences to resume its normal position itwill engage behind said additional ledge 41 and maintain the door in a partially closedposit-ion.

The ledge 41 in addition to being disposed on a different level from the adjacent main ledge 38 is also preferably disposed out of alignment or in offset relation therewith, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. An inclined ledge or runway 42, which extends between the respective ledges 38 and 41, is preferably formed integrally with the said member A and provided for the movement of the door from partially closed to fully closed position by further movement of thelocking lever in the locking direction, the closing of the door being effected by wedging action as the arm 37 rides on the inclined runway 42. The incorporation of the two shoulder brackets in connection with the inner bracket A presents superior operating advantages as there is usually a tendency for the inner end of the door to slightly lag behind theouter end due to the fact that in closing the door the operator generally engages the door at the outer side only and on the side remote from the inner'wall of the hopper; also the longer arm 36 of the lever C provides the operator with multiplied power to move the'shorter arm 3'? from the additional ledge 41 to the main supporting shoulder 38, thereby facilitating the wedging of the door to a fully closed position.

Adjacent each side edge of the door the lever O is guided in bracket members D and E respectively secured to the door and disposed adjacent the brackets A and B on the hopper structure, said bracket members D and E operating to limit swinging movement of the lever in both directions, and also operating to space the said lever sufficiently from the main planeof the door to permit of necessary clearance for rivet heads and attaching flanges for the respective brackets and reinforcing beam 28. The members D and E are of angular'formation, one flange 42 of each bracket lying against the door and the other flange 43 having a slot 44 formed therein through which the lever C extends. The respective flanges are braced relatively to each other by integral flanges 45. The bracket E also has inner and outer walls formed integrally therewith as indicated at 46 and 47 respectively, and a locking cam F is pivotally mounted therebetween by means of a headed pivot 48 which passes through the respective walls, the inner wall 46 being spaced a sufiicient distance from the door plate to accommodate the head of said pivot. The cam F is adapted to swing'about the pivot 48 to lock the lever C in closed position.

A fulcrumed member 49 is formed integrally with the bracket member B for the purpose of accommodating a removable tool as indicated at 50, whereby the lever C may be readilv displaced by bearing down on the outer end of said tool. The fulcrum member 49, which preferably consists of'angularly related walls 51'and 52 outstanding from the nseearss 3 bracket B, is located intermediate the shoulder 39 and the rivets 53 securing the bracket B to the car structure. The fulcrum member 49 being thus located in close proximity to the bracket attachments, a rigid structure is provided and the tendency for the rivets to loosen and shear is materially reduced. Each of the brackets A and B is attached to the car structure and overlies the related reinforcing angle member 21, being formed to straddle the outstanding ficnge 22 of the said angle member 21 as best illustrated in Fig. 7, and the rivets 53 or other securing means by which the brackets are secured to the car structure, are disposed on opposite sides of the flange 20. The shouldered portion of each bracket A and B is spaced somewhat from its corresponding car side wall to permit the side flange 25 of door 23 to lie between said side wall and bracket when the door is in closed position, and the brackets are therefore built up with spacing means 54 through which the rivets 53 extend, said spacing means preferably being formed integral with the bracket and adapted to abutthe outstanding fiange 22 of the reinforcing angle member, thus providing a rugged construction.

WVhen the door is in locked position as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 the locking lever C rests behind the shoulders 38 and 39 of brackets A and B, and the load on the door is transmitted to said brackets through the medium of said bar, the door being maintained against deflection adjacent its edges by the Z-shaped beam member 28 and the respective marginal door flanges, while the body of the plate is maintained against buckling by the numerous corrugations 29 formed therein.

The manner of operation is as follows: Assuming the door to be in the opened position, the operator may stand at the side of the car and move the door towards closed position. As the door approaches closed position, the inner or shorter end 37 of the bar C engages the tapered face 40 of the bracket member A which serves to depress said inner end of the bar C, and raises the outer or longer end 36 above the bracket B.

As soon as the bar C clears the tapered face, the bar will engage with the secondary ledge 41 and retain said door in a partly closed position. The operator then bears down on the longer arm 36 which engages with a flared portion leading to shoulder 39 of bracket B, of the lever, and the short arm riding on the inclined track 42 of member A wedges the door to a closed position. The parts are then looked in position by swinging the cam F into engagement with the bar as indicated in full line in Fig. 3. To release the door the cam F is disengaged from its corresponding locking bar and maintained in inoperative position by being swung" back to an ovenbalaneed: position as indicated in: dotted lines; in Fig; 3, the cam then restingon the upper. surface 56 ot the bracket: E which is formed to support the cam in. its overbalanced position. The op--- erator: then applies a suitable bar -011 fulcruin 459 as indicated: in Fig. 3 and bears. down on the upp'er end of the-same, thereby liftingftheouterarin' 36 of thebar C upward.- ly to thelpositionz in'dicatedbydotted lines in F ig; 3, when the respective arms-of the lever' G will. be released from-theirficorrespending brackets and the door will" open; "While: I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner offcarryin'g. out the inventionythe same is merely illustrative, and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come: with-- in thescope of theclaims appended hereto.

1. In a; car, the combination withv the car structure; of a dumping opening; a dump door adapted to close said opening; locking means including a beam member carried by the-door and ashouldered member carried by the car structure and co-operabl'ewith said beam member to lock the door, said members being. movable relatively to each other a projecting: part on the: shouldered memberadaptedztoserve as a fulcrum for an actuating tool for inducing relative move ment betweenisaid: beam and'i shouldered inember said projecting part being disposed intermediate the: beam member and the: car structure when the door 1 is closed.v

2. In a car having a hopper' opening, the combination with a door adapted to close said opening;- of a locking bar oscillatably mountedron thedo'or; a shouldered member fixedly mounted on the car structure and co operable with the bar to lock the door inclosedposition and? a projecting part on. the shouldered member adapted to serve as} a fulcrum for an actuating tool by which the barmay beunloclred said fulcrumibeingdisposed intermediate the locking bar: when the door is in closed position: and the car structure on which the shouldered member is mounted. I

3. In a car having a hopper opening, the combination with a door adapted to close said opening; of a locking bar oscillatably mounted on the door; a shouldered member having a web portion fixedly mounted on the car structure and (Io-operable with the bar to lock the door in closed position; and a projecting part disposed on the shouldered member intermediate the shoulder and the fixedly mounted web portion, said projecting portion being of angular .form and adapted to serve as a fulcrum for an actuating tool by which the bar on said door may be oscillated.

4. In a dump car, the combination with having a marginal flange turned upwardly from the main plane of the door and overlapping the side wall of the car; a reinforcing member secured to the side wall oft-he car, said member having an outstanding flange contiguous with the door marginal flange; a beam member carried by the door and extending across the plane of the side wall; and door retaining means on the car side wall co-operable with the beam to retain the door in closed position, said door retaining means being formed to straddle the outstanding flange of the reinforcing member and secured on the opposite sides thereof.

5. In a dump car, the combination with a sloping bottom wall and side walls together defininga hopper opening; of a door adapted to close said opening; of a reinforcing marginal flange on the side edge of the door extending substantially in the plane of the hopper sheet; a reinforcing member for the side hopper plate disposed outwardly beyond the flange of the door; a shouldered member secured to the side sheet, said member being adapted to intersect the reinforcing member and being riveted to the side sheets on opposite sides of said reinforcing member; and a locking member on the door co-operable with said shouldered member to lock the door in closed position.

6. In a dump car, the combination with a metallic door; of a locking bar pivotally mounted on the outer side of the door, said bar projecting beyond the side edges of the door; reinforcing marginal edges at the side edges of the door said marginal edges being turned in a direction away from the locking bar; and brackets secured to the door plate adapted to space the locking bar from the door plate, said brackets being also adapted to limit movement of the bar relatively to the door.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of January, 1926.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL. 

